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Carbondale Fire is a small but mighty
department that protects and serves
your neighborhood and 300 total
square miles of rugged terrain made
up of private property, wild land, and
federally managed lands. We provide
fire protection, advanced
emergency medical treatment,
medical transport, backcountry
and technical rescue, swiftwater
rescue, hazardous materials
response, as well as education and
community services. We respond to
and support our neighboring
communities and their emergencies.
Your Fire District does all this and more with a small paid staff of 26 and a volunteer force of 35 dedicated
and talented individuals from five stations in our District. To learn more visit www.carbondalefire.org
CARBONDALE FIRE BY THE NUMBERS 26 Paid Firefighters & Paramedics | 35 Dedicated Volunteers | 5 Stations | 300 Square Miles |
24 hours per day | 7 Days per Week | 365 Days per Year
OUR MISSION To serve the communities within the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection
District and help create a safer environment through the provision of quality emergency
services, public education, and prevention programs with a professional dedicated force
of volunteers and paid staff.
www.carbondalefire.org
Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District
300 Meadowood Drive
Carbondale, CO 81623
West End –
Station 84 Missouri Heights – Station 85
Redstone –
Station 82
Marble –
Station 83
Carbondale – Station 81
DISTRICT SERVICES:
• Fire Protection
• Advanced Emergency Medical Treatment
• Medical Transportation
• Backcountry & Technical Rescue
• Hazardous Materials Response
• Swiftwater Rescue
• Public Education
• Community Service
This Factual Summary is authorized by the Colorado Fair Campaign Practices Act., C.R.S. § 1‐45‐117
This Factual Summary is authorized by the Colorado Fair Campaign Practices Act., C.R.S. § 1‐45‐117
County clerks will mail a ballot to all registered voters in the Fire District during the week of October 12, 2020.
Property owners that do not live in the Fire District and are eligible voters in Colorado will receive a letter advising
how to request a ballot.
CARBONDALE & RURAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT BALLOT ISSUE 7B:
SHALL CARBONDALE AND RURAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT BE AUTHORIZED TO INCREASE OR DECREASE ITS CURRENT AND ALL FUTURE MILL LEVIES IF, ON OR AFTER NOVEMBER 3, 2020, THERE ARE CHANGES IN THE METHOD OF CALCULATING ASSESSED VALUATION OF ONE OR MORE PROPERTY CLASS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO A CHANGE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF ACTUAL VALUATION USED TO DETERMINE RESIDENTIAL ASSESSED VALUATION DUE TO ARTICLE X SECTION 3 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION (COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE GALLAGHER AMENDMENT) OR FOR ANY OTHER REASON SUCH AS ACTION BY THE LEGISLATURE, SO THAT, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, THE ACTUAL TAX REVENUES GENERATED BY SUCH VOTER-APPROVED MILL LEVIES ARE THE SAME AS THE ACTUAL TAX REVENUES THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN GENERATED HAD SUCH CHANGES NOT OCCURRED?
A YES vote on ballot question 7B will allow the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District to maintain the level of funding that
was approved by voters in 2018. Maintaining the current level of funding is vital for CRFPD’s ability to maintain needed
emergency response staffing levels, Continue and improve delivery of high-quality training to all members, and continue to
rapidly respond to medical emergencies, wildfires, rescue calls and building fires 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These service
standards require training, certification and the provision of appropriate equipment and supplies to adequately meet the needs
of our community.
BALLOT ISSUE 7B
STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF BALLOT ISSUE 7B:
STATEMENTS AGAINST BALLOT ISSUE 7B:
Without this request, the District will experience a decline in revenues resulting in: ● Extended response time for fire and ambulance
calls ● Further delayed equipment replacement ● Potential reduction of paid staff ● Elimination of community education programs
such as CPR classes and fire safety education programs
● Elimination of initial attack wildfire program ● Reduced open burning regulation ● Reduction in critical training ● Medical Services will likely be reduced – immediate
response of fully certified paramedic services may not be sustainable on all shifts.
Voting YES on 7B will allow: ● The Fire District to continue to maintain current
funding levels that were approved by voters in the 2018 election.
● The Fire District to continue its successful seasonal staffing and wildland fire response programs.
● The Fire District to continue to serve a 300-square mile area with 15,000 permanent residents.
● The Fire District to continue a turn-out time of 4 minutes for Ambulance calls.
● The Fire District to respond with Paramedic Level Service on concurrent calls.
● The Fire District to continue implementing changes
from the master plan.
Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District was able to lower its ISO Rating to a 3 (based on District’s response abilities), thus reducing fire insurance premiums. The District also refinanced the existing bonds to save taxpayers money. Please Vote YES on Ballot Question 7B
No comments were filed by the constitutional deadline.
This Factual Summary is authorized by the Colorado Fair Campaign Practices Act., C.R.S. § 1‐45‐117
This Factual Summary is authorized by the Colorado Fair Campaign Practices Act., C.R.S. § 1‐45‐117
FROM THE CHIEF: Our District and community suffered the long-lasting effects of a very active, dangerous and serious wildfire season. During just the months of May, June, July, and August, we responded to 15 wildland fire calls, including the massive Lake Christine Fire. Additionally, from May through August, we responded to 552 calls for service including 175 medical emergencies, 35 motor vehicle accidents, and supported 60 special events (parades, graduation, football games, etc). Since 2014, emergency calls have increased by 15%. In 2017 we responded to over 1200 calls for service. 2018 is on pace to exceed that number. CRFPD’s hardworking crews train, prepare and respond throughout the year in order to offer a consistently high standard of care to any and all emergencies. I am grateful for their dedication to excellence that has once again been shown this year. We have a truly great group of folks protecting us in the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District. Rob Goodwin
Rob Goodwin, Fire Chief
RESIDENTIAL ASSESSMENT RATE ENACTED INTO LAW
Tax Year(s) Rate Prior to 1983 30%
1983 to 1986 21%
1987 18%
1988 16%
1989 – 1990 15%
1991 – 1992 14.34%
1993 – 1994 12.86%
1995 – 1996 10.36%
1997 – 2000 9.74%
2001 – 2002 9.15%
2003 – 2016 7.96%
2017 – 2018 7.20%
2019 – 2020 7.15%
Due to the impact of the Gallagher Amendment, anticipated impacts of the budget reduction
include: Extended response times to emergencies,
including medical calls and wildfires.
Eliminating the summer Initial Attack Wildfire Program.
Reduction in critical training for 9-1-1 responders
Possible reduction of paramedic level service on 9-1-1 calls
Elimination of community education
programs, including CPR classes and fire safety education programs.
BALLOT QUESTION 7B CRFPD wants to sustain the amount of 2018 voter approved revenues and current service levels
regardless of state‐imposed adjustments caused by growth impacts outside of the fire district. CRFPD is
seeking a local solution to this statewide issue.
If Ballot Question 7B is approved by voters
this ballot question will only take effect if
the Statewide “de-Gallagherization”
question (Amendment B) does not pass.
If Ballot Question 7B passes, CRFPD
cannot raise the RAR over the current 7.15%
without a new vote.
Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District Ballot Issue 7B
Revenue Stabilization (a.k.a. de-Gallagher)
DID YOU KNOW THAT
Residential property owners in Colorado do not pay
property taxes on 100% of their home's value?
Residential property owners pay property taxes on
only a percentage of their home's property value,
called the "residential assessment rate", or "RAR". The
Gallagher Amendment requires the percentage of
property taxes paid by residential property owners in
the State to be 45% of the total property taxes paid.
The Gallagher Amendment also set the commercial
assessment rate at 29%.
To maintain the required 45/55 ratio, the RAR for
residential properties has to decline as residential
properties become a larger part of all property in the
state. In odd years, the Colorado Legislature is
required to set the RAR at a level that will maintain the
45% tax share required by the Gallagher Amendment.
If the RAR drops to the expected 5.1% in 2021, this will
reduce Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District’s
property tax revenue over $768,000.
Due to the explosion of Front Range residential
development, the Statewide Gallagher
adjustments have decreased the RAR in every
reassessment period since 2017, with another
decrease projected in 2021. This decline has
reduced property taxes collected by local
governments, particularly in mountain and rural
communities where there is relatively less
commercial development. CRFPD will
particularly affected as 88% of all property is
residential. This reduction could force CRFPD to
reduce basic services and not continue to
implement the Master Plan of 2015, so CRFPD
can stay within the amounts of approved tax
revenues.
IMPACT OF DECLINING RESIDENTIAL
ASSESSMENT RATE ON CRFPD
The Residential Assessment Rate is projected to drop
in 2021 from its current level of 7.15% to 5.1%, an 18%
decrease that will cause CRFPD property tax revenue
to drop by over $768,000 in 2022.
CURRENT FUNDING CRFPD voters approved a funding level in 2018, but the effects of the Gallagher Amendment will reduce that amount over 76%, almost negating
the revenues that were approved by District voters in 2018. Because the District can only
impose property taxes, it has limited ability to make‐up this loss in operating revenue.
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